The Harry Frank Guggenheim Distinguished Scholar Awards (formerly the Harry Frank Guggenheim Research Grants) recognize leading researchers proposing to make a significant contribution to illuminating an issue of violence.
The Foundation welcomes proposals from any of the natural and social sciences and allied disciplines that promise to increase understanding of the causes, manifestations, and control of violence and aggression. Highest priority is given to research that addresses urgent, present-day problems of violence—what produces it, how it operates, and what prevents or reduces it.
The Foundation is interested in violence related to many subjects, including, but not limited to, the following:
- War
- Crime
- Terrorism
- Family and intimate-partner relationships
- Climate instability and natural resource competition
- Racial, ethnic, and religious conflict
- Political extremism and nationalism
The Foundation supports research that investigates the basic mechanisms in the production of violence, but primacy is given to proposals that make a compelling case for the relevance of potential findings for policies intended to reduce these ills. Likewise, historical research is considered to the extent that it is relevant to a current situation of violence. Examinations of the effects of violence are welcome insofar as a strong case is made that these outcomes may serve, in turn, as causes of future violence.
Benefits
Most awards fall within the range of $15,000 and $75,000 per year for periods of one or two years.
Applications for larger amounts and longer durations will be considered but must be strongly justified. The awards are made to individuals (or sometimes two, or, rarely, three principal investigators) for specific projects, not general research support. They are not awarded to institutions for institutional programs. Individuals who receive research grants may be subject to taxation on the funds awarded.
Requirements
- Applicants for an award may be citizens of any country.
- While almost all recipients of these awards possess a PhD, MD, JD, or equivalent degree, there are no formal degree requirements for the award.
- The award, however, may not be used to support research undertaken as part of the requirements for a graduate degree.
- Applicants need not be affiliated with an institution of higher learning, although most are college or university professors.
Selection Process
Timing
The application process will open on July 1, 2026. The first component of the process is a Letter of Interest (LOI) questionnaire, which must be completed online and submitted by July 31, 2026 at 11:59.00 p.m. ET. Approved applicants will be invited to submit a full application, which is due by September 11, 2026 at 11:59.00 p.m. ET. Letters of Reference will also be due by September 11, 2026 at 11:59.00 p.m. ET. Late submissions will not be reviewed.
Final decisions are made by the HFG Board of Directors during its December meeting. Awardees will be notified by email of the Board’s decision shortly afterwards. Awards typically commence on January 1. Later starting dates may be considered if the nature of the research warrants it.
Method of Application
Applicants must create an online account to begin the application process. They will next complete a Letter of Interest (LOI), a brief online questionnaire about their proposed project, research design, and budget. This must be submitted by 11:59.00 p.m. ET on July 31, 2026. The LOI will be assessed by the Foundation for the project’s suitability for funding consideration. If the LOI is approved, the applicant will be invited to submit a full proposal application, which will be due by 11:59.00 p.m. ET on September 11, 2026.
Guidelines for the second stage of the process (the proposal application) and advice for applicants can be found in the links below.
Online Application (Login required)
Application Guidelines (PDF)
Advice for Applicants (PDF)
For More Information,
Application Deadline: July 31, 2026.